5 Breathtaking Natural Wonders to See in Thailand

For most people, Thailand represents the bustling capital Bangkok, cheap street food stalls and chilling on one of the magnificent beaches of its numerous islands. But there is so much more to see behind the façade of the typical tourist trail. From climbing to the summit of Thailand’s highest mountain over crawling in caves to cliff hanging – we got it all covered for you:

Doi Inthanon National Park

The Twin Royal Pagodas of Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon in Doi Inthanon National Park, Thailand

Are you into trekking? Read on! Among Thais often considered as “the Roof of Thailand”, Doi Inthanon is the country’s highest mountain at 2565m and comes along with a spectacular natural backdrop. The park has an elevation between 800-2565m and offers a great biodiversity, especially in terms of bird species. It is also home to around 4500 people of the Karen and Meo Hmong ethnicity.

Doi Inthanon is also home to the Royal Twin Pagodas, two pagodas built as a present by the Thai Army for the King and Queen of Thailand in commemoration of their birthdays. One was built in 1987, and the other in 1992 and are located on top of the mountain. Visitors can reach the top either by escalator or stairs, but to visit both, one would have to come down and go up again as they are not located on the same peak. Inside the pagoda there are shrines of Buddha that visitors can pay their respects to.

Crazy Horse Buttress Rock

Yes, we agree, the name sounds somewhat crazy already: and it actually is! This limestone rock is currently one of Thailand’s hot spots for vertical rock climbing. And though it might look a bit daunting, it actually features sites for every skill level. Not into climbing? Explore the nearby Furnace Cave, where a lot of crawling through mud is required!

Erawan Waterfall

We bet you didn’t know that you can find sparkling emerald water not only around Ko Phi Phi, but also inside of Thailand. Yes, you that’s right. Nestled within the lush surroundings of the Erawan National Park, comes this stunning yet hypnotizing waterfall. It consists of seven tiers dropping down over 1500m and you can even swim in some of the ponds created by the waterfall.

Tham Lum Khao Ngu (Snake Mountain Cave)

An explorer gazes at a stone formation in Tham Lum Khao Ngu – PHOTOGRAPH BY John Spies

Away from the outside life and welcome to one of Thailand’s numerous cave systems! But this is not a visit to a regular cave with usual sized stalactites and stalagmites: at an impressive height of 62m, the jaw-dropping Tham Lum Khao Cave features the tallest cave column in the world, while its structure reminds you of a super-sized church organ.

Where to find: Kanchanaburi Province, ca. 3 hrs. drive from Bangkok

Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries

Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries

Elephant in Thungyai-Huai-Kha-Khaeng-Wildlife-Sanctuaries

Still didn’t get enough? Well, how about something guaranteed Off-the-Beaten-Path? Declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site, the wildlife sanctuaries consist of adjacent parks at an area of more than 600.000 ha, along the Burmese border in western Thailand. It is one of Thailand’s least accessible areas and of significant importance in mainland Asia for a number of large animals, such as elephants, tigers, water buffalos, leopards among many more.

Where to find: Kanchanaburi-, Uthai Thani- and Tak Province, western Thailand